Quick Answer: Pumpkin Coffee Cake is a moist, tender fall cake made with pumpkin puree, warm spices, and a buttery cinnamon streusel topping. It is easy to make in a 9×13-inch pan and is delicious served slightly warm with coffee, tea, chai, or apple cider.
The cake takes about 10–15 minutes to prepare and bakes for approximately 35–40 minutes, making it a simple choice for fall breakfasts, brunches, snacks, or dessert.
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Coffee Cake
- Moist and tender: Pumpkin and sour cream help keep the cake soft.
- Easy to make: No complicated decorating or special techniques are needed.
- Perfect for fall: Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves give it classic pumpkin-spice flavor.
- Buttery streusel: The crumbly topping adds sweetness and texture.
- Great for sharing: A 9×13-inch pan makes enough for a crowd.
- Breakfast or dessert: It works equally well with morning coffee or as an afternoon treat.
- Freezer-friendly: Individual slices can be frozen for later.
- Easy to customize: Add pecans, walnuts, chocolate chips, or dried cranberries.
There’s something especially comforting about a homemade coffee cake in the fall.
This Pumpkin Coffee Cake takes that classic idea and gives it a cozy seasonal twist with pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. The cake itself is soft and moist, while a buttery brown-sugar streusel bakes into a sweet, crumbly topping.
And despite the name, there’s no coffee in the cake. Coffee cake simply refers to a cake traditionally served alongside coffee or another warm drink.
I love this recipe because it doesn’t require any complicated decorating. You simply mix the batter, spread it into a pan, cover it with streusel, and bake.
If you’re in the mood for more pumpkin baking, try our Homemade Pumpkin Roll Recipe or these Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cinnamon Frosting.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Pumpkin Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup melted butter or neutral oil
- ½ cup sour cream or plain yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
The ingredient combination is very reasonable for pumpkin coffee cake. Comparable recipes also use pumpkin, flour, baking powder/soda, warm spices, eggs, fat, and sour cream.
Pumpkin Puree
Use 100% pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
Pumpkin pie filling is already sweetened and spiced, which would change the flavor and balance of the cake. The original recipe correctly makes this distinction.
For the Streusel
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into cubes
Cold butter is important here because it helps create the crumbly texture you want in the streusel.
For the Optional Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk or cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Equipment You’ll Need
- 9×13-inch baking pan
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Fork or pastry cutter
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Optional parchment paper
How to Make Pumpkin Coffee Cake
1. Preheat the Oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
For easier removal, you can also line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together:
- Flour
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Ginger
- Cloves
Mix until the spices are evenly distributed throughout the flour.
3. Mix the Wet Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, melted butter or oil, sour cream or yogurt, and vanilla.
Mix until smooth and well combined.
4. Combine the Batter
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.
Fold gently with a spatula until just combined.
Don’t overmix. A few small streaks of flour are better than overworking the batter.
5. Add the Batter to the Pan
Pour the batter into the prepared 9×13-inch pan.
Spread it evenly with a spatula.
6. Make the Streusel
Add the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon to a medium bowl.
Whisk to combine.
Add the cold cubed butter and work it into the flour mixture with your fingertips, a fork, or pastry cutter until coarse crumbs form.
You want some larger crumbs and some smaller ones rather than a completely uniform mixture.
7. Add the Streusel
Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the pumpkin batter.
Try to distribute it all the way to the edges so every slice gets some of the topping.
8. Bake
Bake at 350°F for approximately 35–40 minutes.
Start checking around 35 minutes.
The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached. Comparable pumpkin coffee cake recipes use a similar temperature and baking range.
9. Cool
Let the cake cool in the pan for about 15 minutes.
You can serve it warm or allow it to cool further before adding the glaze.
10. Add the Glaze
If using the glaze, whisk the powdered sugar, milk or cream, and vanilla together until smooth.
Drizzle over the cooled or slightly warm cake.
Tips for the Best Pumpkin Coffee Cake
Measure Flour Correctly
Too much flour is one of the easiest ways to end up with a dry coffee cake.
For the most consistent results, use a kitchen scale. If measuring with cups, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level the top rather than scooping directly from the flour container.
Don’t Overmix
Once the dry and wet ingredients come together, stop mixing.
Overmixing develops gluten and can make the cake tougher.
Use Cold Butter for the Streusel
Don’t melt the butter for this streusel.
Cold butter creates those crumbly pieces that bake into a crisp, buttery topping.
Don’t Overbake
Pumpkin cake should stay moist.
Start checking around 35 minutes instead of automatically leaving it in the oven for a full 40 minutes. The exact time depends on your oven and baking pan.
Use Room-Temperature Eggs
Room-temperature eggs blend more easily with the other wet ingredients and help create a more even batter.
Let the Cake Cool Before Glazing
If the cake is piping hot, the glaze can melt and disappear into the streusel.
Let it cool for at least 15 minutes before drizzling.
Don’t Open the Oven Too Early
Try to leave the oven closed for at least the first 30 minutes.
Checking too early can cause unnecessary heat loss while the cake is still setting.
Easy Variations
Pumpkin Pecan Coffee Cake
Add ½ cup chopped pecans to the streusel.
Pecans pair naturally with pumpkin, cinnamon, and brown sugar.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake
Fold ½ cup chocolate chips into the batter before transferring it to the pan.
For another pumpkin-and-chocolate favorite, try our Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread.
Cranberry Pumpkin Coffee Cake
Fold ½ cup dried cranberries into the batter.
The tart cranberries balance the sweetness of the cake.
Simple Pumpkin Spice Version
If you don’t want to measure several individual spices, use approximately 1½–2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice in place of the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.
You can keep a little extra cinnamon in the batter if you prefer a stronger cinnamon flavor.
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Coffee Cake
Replace the all-purpose flour in both the cake and streusel with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend.
Choose a blend intended for cakes and baked goods. If the blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum, follow the manufacturer’s guidance for adding it.
The texture may be slightly different from the wheat-flour version.
For another recipe that fits a special-diet baking collection, check out this Moist and Delicious Vegan Applesauce Cake.
Dairy-Free Pumpkin Coffee Cake
Replace the butter with vegan butter or neutral coconut oil.
Use dairy-free sour cream or coconut yogurt in place of regular sour cream.
If making the glaze, use oat or almond milk.
Vegan Pumpkin Coffee Cake
For a vegan version, you’ll need to make the dairy-free substitutions above and replace the eggs.
A flax egg can be made using:
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
- 3 tablespoons water
Mix and let it sit for about 5 minutes before adding it to the batter.
For another plant-based dessert, try our Vegan Cheesecake.
What to Serve With Pumpkin Coffee Cake
Pumpkin coffee cake is delicious on its own, but it pairs beautifully with a warm drink.
Try serving it with:
- Coffee
- Chai tea
- Black tea
- Apple cider
- Hot chocolate
For dessert, add:
- Whipped cream
- Vanilla ice cream
- A drizzle of maple glaze
- A dusting of powdered sugar
Storage & Make-Ahead
Room Temperature
Once completely cooled, store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Refrigerator
For longer storage, refrigerate the covered cake for 4–5 days.
The streusel may soften slightly in the refrigerator, but warming an individual slice can help bring back some of its texture.
Freezer
Pumpkin coffee cake freezes well for up to 3 months.
For the best results:
- Cool the cake completely.
- Cut it into individual portions.
- Wrap each slice tightly.
- Place the wrapped slices in a freezer-safe bag or container.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or for a few hours at room temperature.
- Warm gently before serving.
If possible, freeze the cake without the glaze and add fresh glaze after thawing.
Can I Make It Ahead?
Yes.
Bake the cake the day before, allow it to cool completely, then cover it tightly.
Add the glaze shortly before serving for the freshest appearance and texture.
FAQ
Does Pumpkin Coffee Cake Contain Coffee?
No. Despite the name, there is no coffee in the recipe.
Coffee cake is traditionally a cake meant to be served alongside coffee or another warm drink.
Can I Use Fresh Pumpkin Instead of Canned?
Yes.
Cook the pumpkin until tender, puree it until smooth, and drain excess moisture before measuring.
Fresh pumpkin can contain more water than canned puree, so using very wet puree can affect the texture of the cake.
Why Is My Pumpkin Coffee Cake Dry?
The most common causes are:
- Too much flour
- Overbaking
- Not enough fat
- Very watery or inconsistent pumpkin puree
- Overmixing
Measure flour carefully and start checking the cake around 35 minutes.
Why Is My Streusel Not Crumbly?
The butter may have been too warm.
Use cold, cubed butter and work it into the flour and sugar until coarse crumbs form. Warm or melted butter can make the mixture more paste-like.
Can I Use Pumpkin Pie Spice?
Yes.
You can replace the individual spices with approximately 1½–2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice. Adjust the amount depending on how strongly spiced you want the cake.
Can I Make Pumpkin Coffee Cake Gluten-Free?
Yes.
Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend in both the cake and streusel.
Conclusion
Pumpkin Coffee Cake is an easy fall bake that combines everything I love about autumn desserts: warm spices, tender pumpkin cake, brown sugar, and a buttery crumb topping.
It’s simple enough for a weekend breakfast but special enough for a holiday brunch. You can keep it classic with cinnamon and nutmeg, add pecans or chocolate chips, or finish it with a simple vanilla or maple glaze.
The biggest secrets are simple: measure the flour carefully, don’t overmix the batter, use cold butter for the streusel, and don’t overbake the cake.
If you’re keeping the pumpkin baking going, try our Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread, Pumpkin Spice Muffins, or Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies next.
